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Yonsei University (Korean: 연세대학교; Hanja: 延世大學校) is a private Christian research university in Seoul, South Korea. Yonsei University is one of the three most prestigious universities in the country, part of a group referred to as SKY universities.

Yonsei University traces its roots to the first modern medical center in Korea, Gwanghyewon (Korean: 광혜원; Hanja: 廣惠院; lit. 'House of Extended Grace') founded in April 1885, now Severance Union Medical College. The institution in its current university form was established in January 1957 through the union of Yonhi College (연희전문학교; 延禧專門學校) and Severance. As a tribute, the name "Yonsei" was derived from the first syllables of the names of its two parent institutions, "Yon; 연; 延" from Yonhi College and "Sei; 세; 世" from Severance Union Medical College. Yonhi College was one of the first modern colleges, founded as Chosun Christian College (조선기독교대학; 朝鮮基督教大學) in March 1915. The union was a result of a lasting bilateral cooperation between the colleges that began in the 1920s. The institutions were the first of their kinds in Korea.

The student body consists of 18,200 undergraduate students, 11,632 graduate students, 4,518 faculty members, 6,788 staff, and 257,931 alumni. Yonsei University operates its main campus in Seoul and offers graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in Korean and English.

History

Beginnings (1885–1916)

The Yonsei University Medical School dates to April 10, 1885, when the first modern hospital to practice Western medicine in Korea, Gwanghyewon, was established.

The hospital was founded by Horace Newton Allen, the American Protestant missionary appointed to Korea by the Presbyterian Church in the USA. The hospital was renamed Chejungwon on April 26. As there appeared difficulties, the church appointed Canadian Oliver R. Avison to run Chejungwon on July 16, 1893. Gwanghyewon was financed at first by the Korean government, while the medical staff was provided by the church. However, by 1894 when the First Sino-Japanese War and Gabo reforms took place, the government was not able to continue its financial support, thus management of Chejungwon came fully under the church. In 1899, Avison returned to the US and attended a conference of missionaries in New York City where he elaborated on the medical project in Korea. Louis Severance, a businessman and philanthropist from Cleveland, Ohio, was present and was deeply moved. He later paid for the major portion of the construction costs of new buildings for the medical facility. Chejungwon was renamed Severance Hospital after him.

Chejungwon (later Severance Hospital) was primarily a hospital, but it also performed medical education as an attachment. The hospital admitted its first class of 16 medical students selected through examinations in 1886, one year after its establishment. By 1899, Chejungwon Medical School was independently recognized. Following the increase of diversity in missionary denominations in Korea, collaboration began to form. Chejungwon began to receive medical staff, school faculty, and financial support from the Union Council of Korean Missionaries (한국연합선교협의회; 韓國聯合宣敎協議會) in 1912. Accordingly, the medical school was renamed as Severance Union Medical College in 1913.

The rest of Yonsei University traces its origins to Chosun Christian College, which was founded on March 5, 1915, by an American Protestant missionary, Horace Grant Underwood sent by the church. Underwood became the first president, and Avison became the vice president. It was located at the YMCA. Courses began in April with 81 students and 18 faculty members.

Underwood died of illness on October 12, 1916, and Avison took over as president.

During World Wars I and II (1916–1946)

On August 22, 1910, Japan annexed Korea with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910. The first Governor-General of Korea, Terauchi Masatake, introduced the Ordinance on Chosun Education (조선교육령; 朝鮮敎育令) in 1911, and subsequently Regulations on Professional Schools (전문학교 규칙) and Revised Regulations on Private Schools (개정사립학교 규칙) in March, 1915. These were intended to stifle private education in Korea; any establishment of schools, any change in school regulations, location, purpose, coursework, or textbooks must all be reported to and authorized by the governor-general, and all courses must be in Japanese.

Academics

Reputation

Yonsei University is one of Korea's three "SKY" universities, which are the most prestigious in the country, with the other members being Seoul National University and Korea University. Admission of these "SKY" universities is extremely competitive. Acceptance rate of Yonsei University in early admission (수시) is below 1%. In general, exhibiting 0.5% of academic achievement (Korean SAT) is needed to apply for Yonsei regular admission (정시).

Inside Korea, admission to a SKY university is widely considered as a determination of one's career and social status.

World rankings

Yonsei University was ranked 42nd in the QS World University Rankings 2027. In the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026, Yonsei ranked 11th in Asia and was the highest-ranked university in South Korea.

Yonsei was ranked 86th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. In the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), published by ShanghaiRanking, Yonsei was placed in the 151–200 range worldwide. The Center for World University Rankings ranked Yonsei 142nd worldwide and second in South Korea in its 2026 rankings.

Culture

University symbols

The "ㅇ" and "ㅅ" in Yonsei University's arms are derived from the first letters of "연세" ("Yonsei" in Korean). The circle "ㅇ" represents the ideal of a complete and well-rounded person, while the "ㅅ" symbolizes the upward-looking pursuit for scholarly excellence. In addition, the "ㅇ" stands for Heaven; the "-" represents the horizon of the Earth and "ㅅ" signifies "man," as expressed in the Chinese character (人). The open book stands for truth; the torchlight signifies freedom; and the arms, as a whole, protects these two core principles of Yonsei University.

Yonsei University's mascot is an eagle, and its color is "royal blue".

Christianity

Yonsei University is founded on Christian principles and purporting to "produce Christian leaders with the spirits of freedom and truth". The Christian character of the university is well illustrated by its history as a school founded by American Protestant missionaries and by its school motto from the Bible, "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32). As of 2007, the Board of directors of Yonsei University should include a member from four Korean Christian organizations: The Presbyterian Church of Korea (대한예수교장로회), the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (한국기독교장로회), the Korean Methodist Church (기독교대한감리회), and the Anglican Church of Korea (대한성공회). In Korea and Japan, Christian schools founded by Christian organizations or individuals, especially by Western missionaries, such as Yonsei University, are commonly called mission schools.

A school's founding ideology and a student's freedom of religion has been debated in South Korean society for some time. As of 2009, a student does not have to be an active Christian to be admitted to Yonsei University.

In 2010, Yonsei University entered an agreement with The United Methodist Church, in which the university will serve as the regional office for the Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development.

Student life

A large number of Yonsei degree programs, including UIC, ASD, and GSIS (in Seoul and YIC) have extensive tuition scholarships for international students that cover tuition and accommodation.

Akaraka is the official college festival for Yonsei students that is usually held on May. During the festival, many prominent singers and celebrities perform.

It is strictly forbidden by the university code of conduct to discriminate against students from non-Christian backgrounds. As a missionary school, Yonsei undergraduates used to be required to attend weekly chapel service for four semesters to qualify for graduation, however this is no longer the case.

Clubs

There are more than 100 clubs at Yonsei University; the clubs listed here do not represent all clubs on campus.

AFKN Listener's Club (ALC) is one of the largest and oldest Major Korean-International exchange student clubs in Yonsei University. Having the biggest club room in Yonsei, students in ALC play dramas and various activities with foreign students. The club is also famous for its featuring at Reply 1994: The club room characters spend their time is ALC's.

Avenante is the only mixed choir in Yonsei University, composed of both music and non-music majors. Concerts are given twice a year. The club practices songs in many genres, from Missa Solemnis to pop songs to traditional Korean songs.

Business Innovation Track (BIT) is a track aiming to foster innovative young generation regardless of the field they are studying.

CogSci:In is a society studying cognitive science. There are four teams such as psychology, humanities and social science, applied science and neurobiology in CogSci:In. Each semester, two topics related to cognitive science are presented and each team makes a presentation every week about the topics. Members of CogSci:IN can get an integrated and in-depth understanding of each topic.

The Global Management Track (GMT) is officially supported by the School of Business to systemically discover and train talented business major students. Founded in 1996, with the goal of globalization and a motto of passion, it has addressed many diverse topics worldwide and has increased the business competency of each of its individual members.

International Yonsei Community (IYC) was founded in 1995 for global, multicultural exchange in the Yonsei society, including among the hundreds of students on campus from around the world. It upholds a universal idea of contributing to the worldwide foundation of wisdom and knowledge; overcoming cultural, racial and academic gaps; and promoting unity based on deep understanding.

Campuses

Yonsei University Seoul Campus is composed of Sinchon Campus and International Campus in Songdo, Incheon. From 2011, Yonsei University adopted a Residential College (RC) Program at the Yonsei International Campus (YIC). Most freshmen of Yonsei University are required to live in an International Campus dormitory and complete RC programs for a year. After that, they move on to the Sinchon campus in Seoul to complete their education.

Sinchon Campus

Yonsei's Sinchon Campus covers 250-acre (100 ha) located about 6 km off west of central Seoul. The Sinchon Campus is home to most of the academic departments of Yonsei University, and has a combination of historical and high-tech buildings.

Yonsei International Campus (Songdo, Incheon)

Based on the May 8, 2006 agreement between the city of Incheon and Yonsei University, the Yonsei Songdo Global Academic Complex (now the Yonsei International Campus) is an anchor of the R&D aspect for the Songdo district and the Korean education and research industries. Construction was in two phases with the first phase including the Global Campus, Joint University Campus, R&D Campus, and the Global Academic Village. Phase one was completed in 2010 and phase two began the next year in 2011 with further expansion.

Currently, most freshmen of Yonsei University stay at the International Campus for one year to complete their RC program requirements. In addition to freshmen education, a number of academic programs are offered at the Yonsei International Campus, including undergraduate and graduate programs offered from the School of Integrated Technology (College of Computing), College of Pharmacy, Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Division (Underwood International College), Integrated Science and Engineering Division (Underwood International College).

The dormitory of the International Campus is composed of 12 houses. Until 2013, there were eight houses: Avison, Yun Dong-Joo, Muak, Yoongjae, Underwood, Baek Yang, Appenzeller (previously Aristotle), and Allen. In 2014, four more houses were founded: Evergreen, Wonchul, Chi Won, and Cheongsong.

Evergreen House

Wonchul House: Named after Lee Wonchul, alumnus of Yonsei University and first Korean medical doctor.

Underwood House: Named after Horace Grant Underwood, the founder of Yonsei University.

Yun, Dong-Joo House: Named after a famous poet, Yun Dong-Joo, a Yonsei University alumnus.

Muak House: Named after the mountain near the Sinchon campus.

Chi Won House: Chi Won is the name of the oldest building in Yonsei University (built in 1918).

Yongjae House: Named after the first president of Yonsei University, Yongjae Baek Nak-jun.

Notable alumni

Graduates of Yonsei University include a Nobel laureate, an Academy Award winner, Olympians, and a Fulkerson Prize-winning mathematician.

Business

• Koo Bon-moo: Former Chairman of LG Group
• Kim Woo-jung: Founder and CEO of Daewoo Group
• Baek Jong-won: CEO of The Born Group
• Park Ji-won (businessman): Former CEO of HYBE
• Suh Kyung-bae: Chairman of TaePyongyang Corporation
• Song Ja: Former President of Yonsei University and current CEO of Daekyo
• Chung Mong-hun: Former Chairman of Hyundai Group
• Lee Boo-jin: President and chief executive of Hotel Shilla (Samsung Group)

Literature and arts

• Han Kang: Novelist, 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature
• Yun Dong-ju: Poet and Korean independence movement activist
• Gi Hyeong-do: Poet
• Stephen Revere: Magazine editor and television personality
• Eun Hee-kyung: Novelist
• Kim Yoo-jung: Novelist

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)